WOriginally planned as a simple facelift on the main floor of a home in the Sterling Ridge neighborhood of The Woodlands, it took a dramatic turn in the former dining room. A rarely used matte beige dining room was transformed into a dramatic, moody wine room in teal, green, and blue thanks to Laura Starzyk Interiors.
Design firm owner and lead designer Laura Starzyk began with three suggestions for this dining room, and the Sterling Ridge homeowners chose the most dramatic of the three.
“They didn’t use it (the dining room) and they didn’t like the way it looked,” Starzyk said PaperCity The forests. “They wanted it to be some sort of cry room.”
Now the former dining room is being transformed into two seating areas with custom wine storage. Each wine bottle is displayed on a marble wall with individual metal pins to hold each bottle at the correct angle.
The two seating areas, a pair of teal sofas and a group of four custom green club chairs make the area a place the family can enjoy together. Two seating areas meant illuminating the entire space, with new lighting coming from Anthology Lighting.
“With the tiered lights, we wanted to add three chandeliers where the original chandelier was,” says Starzyk. “It was in the middle of the table. So this draft should not focus on anything. Since we had two rooms, we wanted it to feel like everything was lit throughout.”
The wine room's paneled walls were created in-house.
“We removed the entire chair rail,” notes Starzyk. “They were plain walls and we took a photo and created a wainscoting design we found. And every wall was different because they weren't just flat walls. We worked very closely with the homeowner and the carpenter to ensure the homeowner was happy with this very unusual design throughout its creation.”
A small mural cut into sections forms the backdrop for a shelf.
“It picked up all the jewel tones we were creating in the space and it added just a little bit more interest,” says Starzyk. “It has the gold, the teal and the navy blue.”
Final details for the space included a blue crocodile-style tray and teal glasses on a bar cart.
A bedroom transformation in Sterling Ridge
While the most dramatic changes took place in the former dining room, this Sterling Ridge home's master bedroom, kitchen-dining area, and powder room were also updated. Starzyk was able to take elements from other areas of the house and incorporate them into this new design – art from the bedroom was moved to the dining area in the kitchen, for example.
The master bedroom suite was also renovated, with the exception of a bedroom wall with built-ins.
“I took inspiration from that and put black crocodile wallpaper behind the bed,” says Starzyk. “All paneling, new fixtures in the bathroom and a sitting area in the bedroom with Bernhardt and Caracoale furniture were created. We created a kind of luxury hotel atmosphere by installing sconces instead of lamps.”
The kitchen was renovated six years ago when the homeowners purchased this Sterling Ridge home, but the dining area was updated this time. Art from the bedroom was moved to the dining area, adding a pop of color to the black walls.
“It (the art) really worked with the colors we did in this room,” Starzyk says. “So let’s get it out of here.”
Starzyk enjoys working with his clients' existing favorite pieces and finding creative ways to refresh any space. And who couldn't use a fresh start this new year?